Wooden shipping case



E. S2 ,A2 NC9 IG WN. OIB Ow s m HSE.. .mm AJDL Ol MF Jan. 30, 1923.

,u i 'f/Mmm www@ Patented Jan. 30, 1923.

' narran STATE-s ABRAHAM n. Goonwm, or NEW Yoinx', N. Y. wochen smrrme CASE.

Application mea February s, 1922. serial No. sse-,sca

States, and resident of New York, in the county of New York and. State ot'V New York,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Venden Ship-ping Casesfot1 which the' following is a specification.

This invention is an nnprjovement in vshipping cases, having the parts sol constructed that. when the/case is closed it cannotbe opened without breaking some nofthe parts, such whereby,

it has been tampered with. Y

One of the main objects of my present invention is to provide means whereby the cover is securely held by locking means disposed inside ofthe case,land the proper cooperating engagement secured'even though there be variations in the Ythickness of the walls of the case, or the positioning of the locking parts.

A further object is to provide means whereby the locking members may be inserted through the wall of the case from the exterior,`to engage'retaining means on the in side' and its removal effectively prevented. *A yturther object is to provide means whereby the cover may be provided with properly located .holes for the .insertion of locking members into proper registry with the interior retainer.

Several. different constructions whereby these different objects may be secured will now be described in detail, and it will be appa-rent that each ofthese several forms involves separate improvements and advantages not n ecessarily present in the others.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a perspective view. of a case which may be sealed by means of my improved construction.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section in a plane at a short distance below the' inner surface of a citizen of the lUnited as the .wall or. fastening `members, veven` thoughthe case be reclosed* after opening there vis tell-tale evidence that 'gaged the cover of a case,.as indicated by thel line 2-2`of Fi 3, and showing onevform of locking mec anism n Fig. 3. is auvertical section taken on thev line 3--3-of Fig. 2, -Fig. 4 is a section similarvto Fig. 3, but showlng a differentconst-ruction o' retainer, ,Fig 5 is an elevation of a further formV of retainer adapted to'be inserted in al corner of a case, v

f-.Fig 6" is a 'sectionn the; lille, of

n ig. 7 is' alperspective view of a. locking member adapted to cooperate with the retainer of Figs. 5 and, i p l F ig. 8v is a section of a. wall of a case 'showinay further modified form in place.,

, ig. Slis a section ofthe case at an angle thereof and taken on the line'9-9 of Fig.

8,and v A. y

Figs. 10, 11 and 12 are views'of further forms of devices.

My invention is applicable to various forms of constructions of shipping cases.

\ Tha-t illustrated' in Fig. 1 includes a top or cover 10, side wall 11, end wall 12, and a bot` tom 13. The top, side andA bottom walls have transverse cleats 14, whereb when these cleats are locked together at t e corners, no one of the boards of these walls can be removed. The end wall 1 2 may also have a frame work or rectangular arrangement 'of cleats 15. l

In lthe construction shown in Figs. 2 and 3, vthere is provided a loc-king member 20 adapted to be inserted through the cover o the case and preferably although not necessaril'y, through the end of -a cleat 14 thereof, to the interior ot' the case. This locking member is shown in the form of a. boltwith a head 21 of such form, that it cannot be enby a wrench or screw vdriver to rotate the bolt. The inner end portion of the bolt is provided With a series ot' circumferential rooves, which are separate and distinct rom each other as distinguished from a screw thread or helical groove.

the end walls.

tate the bolt in one direction.

Within the case there is provided a' retainer adapted to receive the inner'end of the` locking member and engage therewith in such a way that the locking member, when in place, cannot be withdrawn. The retainer is shown as including two sheet metal plate portions 23 and 24, lying substantially painq allel and spaced apart by a lug 25. At the edge opposite the lug, the two plates have superposed tianges 26 at right angles to the plates. The body portions of these plates are held in rigid spaced relationship by a pivot pin 2T, which may present shoulders, engaging surfaces of the plates, and reduced end portion riveted over for connecting the parts. Mounted on this pivot pin is a pawl 28 held in the path of, or against the locking member 20, by a suitable spring 29. The pawl may have only a singletooth for engagement in a groove' of the locking member, or it may have a plurality of such teeth, as illustrated in the drawing.

The retainer shown in Figs. 2 and 3 is adapted for use in the corner of a case, so that it can serve not only to receive the locking member and hold the cover in place, but also forms a -bracket connecting the side and lt may be secured to the walls in various different ways, by securing means of such character that it cannot be released from the exterionof the case. Ordinary carriage bolts may be employed with nuts on the inner ends, or I may employ bolts having their heads so constructed that the bolts may be readily rotated in one direction by a screw driver, but cannot be rotated in the opposite direction. As illustrated the superposed flanges 26 and the plate 23 are provided with threaded apertures to receive bolts 29. constructed sul stantialllv as shown in Fig. 7. Each bolt has a head 30 adapted to be countersunk in the wood, and provided with two shoulder` portions 31 'facing in opposite directions, so that a screw driver may be employed toro- The surface opposite to each shoulder 3l is beveled or chamfered, so as to )revent the screw driver from engaging the lt to turn it in the opposite direction.

'lhe retainer has a portion which projects above the plane of the upper edge of the side walls, by means of which the point at which the hole is to be bored to receive the locking member may be definitely and accurately located.

As shown, one of the plates, for instance plate 23, has an extension 32, bent to tubular form above the upper edge of the bodv y portion of the plate and above the pawl 23. After the retainer is secured in position in a corner of the case with the tubular portion 32 projecting above lthe edge ot' the wall of the case, the cover is placed in position and a light pressure applied. The upper end of -locking'effect is secured Vshown in Figs.

the extension 32 leaves a. mark on the underside of the cover, so that when the cover is removed, a hole may be bored through the cover in such position that when the cover is again placed on the case the tubular exten sion will tit up in the hole and will act both as a guide for the locking bolt, and to prevent any shiftingor lateral movement of the cover. This extension may be of any desired height, and it may enter but a short distance into the top wall or cover,.or it may extend all the way through the cover and cleat 14C. It is obvious that the head 21 of the locking member must. be materially larger than the tubular guide 32, if the guide gesall or most ot the way through.

From' tire foregoing it will be seen that after the retainer is secured in place it serves to hold the cover against anylateral movement, and presents a guide for directing the locking member into proper engagement with the pawl, and that when the locking member is inserted and engaged by the ypawl, it cannot be withdrawn'either by direct pull or by rotation. Furthermore, as the pawl may engage with the locking members in a plurality of positionsJ the desired irrespective of variations in the thickness of the cover, the ex-' tent-to which the head is countersunk, or the exact position fof the retaining member in respect to the. upper edge'of the case wall. v

Gne of these locking devices may be eniployed at each of the four upper corners, and if desired at each of the four lower corners, although its use at the lower corners is not as important. Securing bracketso simpler and less expensive character be used in the four lower corners and applied from the inside before the .case is packed. The flanges 26Aparticularly adapt the construction illustrated to use in the corners of a case. It will be evidentthat the portions of these flanges which project beyond the surface of plate 24 may be omitted, and a plurality of bolts 29 engaged in the' plate 23 so that the retainer 'may be located at any desired point along the upper edge of a wall ot' the case, and not merely at the corner.

The locking members and retainers may serve merely to connect the box cleats at their end. or may connect other forms of wall which have no cleats.- The cleats if used' may be secured to the' intermediate boards by screws 33 having heads for one way rotation by a screw driver, as shown in F ig. 7.

A modified form very similar to that 2 and 3, is illustrated in Fig. having a pivoted pawl engaging directly with the'locking member, there is provided a ratchet wheel 35 engaging with the grooves of the locking member. A spring pressed pawl 36 engages'w-ith the el. Instead of may ratchet wheel so as to prevent the rotation of the latter, except in :one direction. The locking member. upon being inserted,.en gages with the`ratchet wheel and rotates in a direction indicated by the arrow until the locking member reaches final position. The return movement is prevented as the ratchet wheel cannot be rotated except in one direction.

The locking member shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. has circumferential grooves which permit of its rotation without loosening effect. Inasmuch as the pawl or the ratchet wheel engages with only one side of the locking member, it will be evident that the locking member might be square. or of other nonfcircular shape in cross section, so that it cannot be rotated, and in that event it is not necessary to have the grooves extended all the way around the locking member. They may be only on the side thereof which engages the pawl or the ratchet wheel. the grooves inthe locking members may. be in the. form ,of a screw thread, if the locking member be so designed that it can-lJ not be rotated to unscrew it from vthe exterior of the case. The head may be of such formA that it cannot be engaged by a screw driver, wrench or other tool to rotate it in either direction, or it may have the head construction shown in Fig. 7, so that it may be rotated as far as desired when inserting it, but cannot be rotated to unscrew or remove it.

A further form is illustrated in Figs. 6 and?. In this form the retainer maybe cut and bent from a single piece of sheet metal so as to f'orm two Wings or ianges 38 and 39, a tubular part 40,-and a threaded flange or nut part 41. If this retainer is to be at a point intermediate of the end of a side wall, flanges 38 and'39 may be in the same plane. but if it is to be used in a corner, then they are bent at right angles to each other as shown. Each of the two anges 38 and 39 mayy have a lug 41, these being bent to lie in supierposed position, and provided with a threaded aperture registering with the tubular portion 40. This tubular portion may have an extension adapted to project beyond the upper edge of the wall of the case, and corresponding to the ,portion 32 -shown in Fig. The-retainer shown in Figs. 5 and 6 is adapted to receive the locking member 29 shown in Fig. 7. After the case has been closed the locking member may be inserted through a.. hole in the cover, and the screw threads thereon caused to engage the nut-like part 41 by proper rotation with the aid of a screw driver. Due to the construction of the head the locking member cannot be removed when once in place.`

In the form shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the

It will also be evident that A,

lposite sides of the bolt.

tubular member 44 which corresponds vwith the tubular member 40 of Figs. 5 and 6, may be formed as a casting with suitable` lugs 45, whereby it may 'be attached in place, andthe tubular member itself may be internally threaded to receive the locking member 29, with its head constructed for one way rotation only.

In the form shown in Fig. ,10, thevlocking 4member includes a sheet metal plate 48,which may be secured to the innersurface of the case in any suitable manner. This plate has a portion 49 bentto form a housing for non-rotatably retaining a'nut 50. The nut itself may be constructed in various different ways as a lock-nut in which the bolt may be rotated in one direction, but cannot be rotated in the other direction. As the plate 48 keeps the nut from rotation and holds it in position, and as the nut will grip vthe bolt and permit rotation of the latter for tightening the bolt but not for loosening it, it will be apparent that any ordinary bolt may be employed. The construction of the head is not material, except in so far as it shall have means whereby. the bolt maybe screwed in and properly tightened. y 1 have not illustrated the details of the construction whereby the nut grips the bolt to prevent Yunscrewing the latter as the details employed may bethe same as are used in a wide variety oflock-nuts hereto'- forev designed by others and in common use. One such form of lock-nut which might be employed is that shown in the Schlotterback Patent No. 1,043,258. The upper surface of the nut housing 49 preferably has fianges on projections extending upwardly there- Jfrom, and adapted to markor dent the under surface of `the cover when the latter is first applied, so that when the cover is taken i ofi' the point at which the hole isto be bored for. the cooperating locking vmembers is accurately located.v

the width, with the fianges 26 omitted and the parts symmetrically disposed in respect to the .locking bolt, as shown in Fig. 11. Thus there might be two of the lugs 25, pivot pins 27 and pawls 28 disposed on op- Such a construction would be adapted for use along the edge rather than in the corner.

The retainers shown in Figs. 2 to 9 inclusive might have the upwardly projecting guides entirely omitted. or the retainers might be mounted in such position that the upper ends of the guides came flush with or slightly below the edge of the Wall. In that event the guide might be flared or conical or funnel shape, so asto better direct the `cured to the inner surface ofthe "wall therefA engagement retainer, as

locking member intov proper with the movable part of the shown at 32a in Fig. 11.

In Figs. 2 to 11 inclusive .the grooves transverse to the general .direction 'of the length 'of the locking member are on both f the locking.memberl and on the retainer. 1t

is evident thatthe locking e'ect with the parts in diterent relative positions might be secured with only a single groove, flange, ridge, or shoulder on one and cooperating ,with any one of several grooves, shoulders,

x in Fig. 12 I have, shown a locking member 52 havinga singlev lshoulder 53 f for. engaging anyone of v,the

orvthe like on the other.

teeth or grooves of the'retainer 54.'. Although the locking member lpreferably is extended throughthe cover after it is closed,-

ber itself maybe made ot resilient material, sothat no separatespringis needed. InI Fig. 12 the member 52 or the'member 54, or both, maybe Iresilientlv pressed against the other. 4In this'form either member may be carried by the covern and the'other by the Wall.

Having 'thus described my l invention,

what I claim as newand desire to secure by Letters Patenty is v LA. shipping case having a retainer seof andpresenting a guide portion, and a locking member adapted to be inserted through the cover, and said guiding means into interlocking engagement with said re- -taineix 2. A shipping case having a retainer secured to the innersurface of the walljthereof.- and presenting a guide portion extending above the upper edge of the wail into 'the cover, and-a locking member adapted to be insertedthrough the cover and said guiding vmeans into interlocking engagement with'said retainer. i

3. A shipping case having a retainer vsecured to the inner surface of a Wall thereof,.and a locking ,member adapted to ex-.-

tend through the cover into engagement with 'said retainer, said retainer having a portion projecting above the upper edge of the wall for locatingthe point on the cover at which the locking `member is to be in- Serted to insure registry with the retainer.

4. A shi ping case having a retainer adapted to e secured to the inner surface of a wall and4v including a plate portion and a spring pressed pawl mounted thereon, and a locking member projecting inwardly from the cover and having a series of notches for engagement with the pawl.

wardly and toward a'e-iaeei awall and including a guide portion and a spring pressed pawlextending inwardly at an angle` to said guide portion, and a locking -memberprojecting inwardly from the cover and adapted 'to engage `with said guide portionl and said pawl, said locking member being held against return movement by the grlpping action between saidpawl and said guide member.

.. A shipping case having a retainer adapted to be secured to the inner surface of a lWall'and including two relatively movable members anda locking member projecting inwardly from the cover and adapted to eX- tend between' said first mentioned'members, said first mentioned members acting to grip said locking `member in any one of a plurality of 'positions of the latter, and prevent separation of said cover and said wall. y' 7. A shipping case having a member adapted to be secured to the inner surface of the wall ofthe case and having a projecting part adapted to enter= the inner surface of the cover, va member projecting inwardly from the cover, and a member carried by the first member and adapted for gripping engagement withhthe second member to prevent removal of the cover'.

8. A device adapted for use in sealing shipping cases, including a member adapted to be secured to the inner surface of a wallv of the case with a art projecting above the upper edge thereo to enter the inner sur- .face of the' cover when the latter is applied` carried by said first mentioned member for automatically gripping the second menj tioned member to prevent removal of the cover.

9. A device adapted 'for use in sealing shipping cases, including a member adapted to 'be secured to the inner surface of the wall of the case and having a substantially vertical surface, a member mounted on the first mentioned member and movable upsaid surface, a spring normally tending to hold said second mentioned memberv in the upper limiting positio'n, and a member adapted-to be carried by the cover and project inwardly therefrom between said surface and said lsecond mentioned member, and to begripped against said surface by said second mentioned member-to prevent the removal of the cover with said third mentioned member.

10. device adapted for use in sealing shipping cases including a retainer adapted to be secured to the inner surface of a wall, and including a ripping member movable in a direction having vertical and horizontal components, a spring normall pressing said member upwardly and lateral y, and a member adapted to be carried by the cover and claim 10 and in which said retainerl has a 10v project inwardly therefrom, and adapted to projection adapted to engage with the cover force 4said first mentioned member inwardly and thereby locate the point on the. cover for and laterallyv in the other direction against the proper positioningof the second menthe action of said spring, the engagement of tioned member. said first mentioned member with said sec- Signed at New York in the county of 15 ond mentioned member serving to prevent New York and State of New York this 8th the removal of the cover with the latter. day of Februar A. D. 1922.

l1. A device of the character defined in ABAHAM H. GOODWN. 

